End forced marriage now!
Young girls should not be kidnapped and converted through forced marriage in Pakistan, simply because of their Christian faith
National courts should ensure that laws preventing child marriage are upheld
Your voice helps stop forced marriages in Pakistan and beyond
Maira* wants freedom
Maira’s story follows the pattern of many others – abduction, rape, forced marriage and conversion
Cruel violations of fundamental rights can no longer be ignored
In many countries around the world, Christians and members of other religious minorities fear for their lives every day
Pakistan is considered one of the most dangerous countries for girls – especially if they are Christians.
For Christian women, Pakistan is one of the most dangerous places in the world. Maira’s case shows the terrible practice of forced conversion through marriage, which affects around 1,000 religious minority girls every year.
Maira*, a 14-year-old teenager from Faisalabad, was on her way to school when she was kidnapped and forcibly married to a much older man. She was beaten, abused and forced to turn away from the Christian faith.
When Maira’s parents approached the legal authorities to regain custody of their daughter, the courts initially sent Maira to a women’s shelter. Subsequently, the High Court in Lahore ruled that she must be “returned” to her abductor. Local authorities rarely help the victims; more often, they are complicit.
The legal minimum age for brides in Pakistan is 16 years old, but this is hardly considered in the courts. The courts apply Sharia Law instead and uphold marriages where the girl has reached puberty.
Maira is one of many girls in Pakistan who have experienced this nightmare. But she is one of the few who managed to escape from it.
Maira escaped from her kidnapper and is now in hiding with her family. They sought help to protect her rights once more. Together with her lawyer Sumera Shafiq, ADF International is now trying to have the marriage annulled.
“Nobody should be persecuted for their beliefs. Young girls who are Christians are kidnapped in Pakistan and converted through forced marriage. A shocking practice that absolutely needs to be stopped. We hope that the international community will finally take a look and help protect Christians and other minorities, ”says Tehmina Arora, Director of Advocacy, Asia, for ADF International.
It is estimated that 1 in 5 girls are married by the age of 18 in Pakistan. Globally, an additional 100 million girls will be at risk due to child marriage over the next decade.
Your support can help protect the lives of girls like Maira. Join us as we provide critical assistance to advocates in Pakistan to protect girls from underage marriages and forced conversions.
#EndPersecutionNow
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*Name was changed for security reasons.
